Mounting for anatomical specimens.



PATENTED MAY '7, 1907. 0. 9. SMITH. MOUNTINGFOR ANATOMIGAL SPEGIME APPLICATION TILED JAN. 19. 1906.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIUE.

MOUNTING FOR ANATOIVIICAL SPECHVIENS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7, 1907.

Application filed January 19,1906. Serial No, 296,917.

To all whom it natty concern:

Be it known that I, OAKLEY G. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Iowa City, in the county of Johnson and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mountings for Anatomical Specimens, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method of mounting anatomical specimens so as to reproduce and represent the exact positions of the bones as they were in life, and has for its object to enable the operator to do this in a simple and convenient manner, and with certainty of accuracy in the result.

The nature of the invention will clearly appear from the description and claims following, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which 1 Figure 1 is a plan view of apparatus adapted for the above designated purpose. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 shows one of the mounting rods. Fig. 4 is a fragment of the base and one of the standards, showing the fastening and adjusting device.

In anatomical classroom work, and for other purposes, it is sometimes very desirable to reproduce in portable and visible form an anatomical structure in exactly the form and position it had in life, with a view more especially to studying luxations and sub-luxations, if they exist. The method of procedure by which I secure this result, and the mechanism therefor, will now be described.

In the drawing, A is a base-plate, prefer ably rectangular, to which are attached four standards B, two of which, at least, should be adjustable radially, as by grooves C and tee-headed bolts D provided with thumb-nuts E. The vertical inner faces of the standards are suitably dovetailed to take similarly formed blocks F, which may be called record blocks. These should be numbered to match the standards, as shown. In practice these blocks are of wood, and preferably the center of the base is another socket to take a record block J which, as well as the upper block, may be round. Dowel-pins L, register with suitable holes in the blocks, and insure correctness of position. The vertical record blocks rest on the base-plate at their lower ends, and thus their accuracy of position is insured.

The specimens are mounted by means of straight rods M, preferably tapered at each end, as shown in Fig. 8. If the rods are perfectly straight and uniform they may be in terohangeable, but to avoid any possibility of error I prefer to number each rod, as indicated, and by placing this number uppermost, and the rod in its proper place, no variation can take place.

The method of mounting is as follows: The anatomical specimen, with more or less of the flesh still adhering, butin the form and position it occupied at death, is drilled with a drill of the same size as the index rods. 'Each bone is provided with two holes, and at an angle to each other. Any angle would serve, but my apparatus provides for approximately right angles. So it is also evident that three points of support would give stability, but my device has four points, which is more convenient. It is to be understood that Fig. 2 is illustrative of the complete machine, but in practice it is not necessary to use the vertical index rod when crossing horizontal rods are used, running through each bone. In mounting a section of vertebra), N the latter method would generally be preferable, but in mounting other specimens the vertical rod would be more convenient. In the former case the bracket H may be removed to give better access to the specimen. In either case, the specimen is placed in position between the standards of the machine, supported by hand, or otherwise, and the rods inserted in the previously drilled holes. The movable standards are then carefully moved inwardly until the points of the rods make contact with the faces of opposite record blocks. When all are in proper position the specimen is supported by the rods alone. The operator then, with wax, cement, or other suitable plastic material, builds a little mound 0 around the points of each rod, and adhering to the record block. When these are dry the movable standards maybe moved outwardly, and the specimen taken out of the frame. The rods are then removed, the specimen freed of all fleshy material, by boiling, or otherwise, and the clean bones are replaced in the frame in exactly the same posi tion as before which, as will be evident, may be easily done. In this position it might, of course, be studied, and the positions of the bones noted and photographed. To admit, however, of the specimen being handled and inspected in any desired position, the operator fills the interspaces, as at P, with some suitable plastic material, and when this has hardened the specimen becomes a single, rigid object, which may, after removal from the frame, as above described, be handled as a single bone.

As wax or cement, or the like, might suffer accidental injury, displacing or defacing the rod-point sockets, provision is made for permanently determining the positions of the rods in spite of such accidents. This is a simple strip Q of thin metal, such as tin, drilled to exact rod size, and one slipped on each end of each rod before the plastic mound is made. When it has dried, the operator bends the ends of the strips over the angles of the projecting ribs of the record block, and tacks them in position, as shown in Fig. 2. The block is channeled so that the mounds may be built back of the line of the strip, as will be evident.

Once the specimen is completed, the blocks may be used for others. Or, on the other hand, for purposes of verification, they may be filed away, suitably labeled to indicate the appropriate specimen, which, whether intact, or in pieces may be remounted in exact position at any time.

My invention contemplates broadly the application to the separate bones of anatomical specimens of exactly replaceable keepers having more than two points of support with respect to each bone. In the practical application of this principle I'have adopted the plan of drilling holes in the bones and for keepers inserting rods, as being one of the simplest devices for the purpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The herein described mounting for anatomical specimens, which consists in attaching to each bone by more than two points of contact a keeper adapted for easy removal terminate positions removable record blocks,

rods adapted to cross and pass through the specimen from block to block, and means for permanently locating the positions of the rod ends with respect to said blocks.

3. In an anatomical mounter, the combination of a base, standards movably mounted thereon, and at divergent angles, removable record block attached to said standards,

and rods to pass from block to block in crossing lines, and through holes drilled in the bones, substantially as described.

4. In an anatomical mounter, the combination of a base, oppositely disposed standards mounted at divergent angles thereon, and movable toward and away from their opposites, channeled record blocks mounted on said standards, and adapted to take a mound of plastic material in the channel,

rods to cross from standard to standard and through holes divergently drilled in the bones, and metal strips drilled the size of the rods, and adapted for permanent attachment to said record blocks.

5. In an anatomical mounter, and in combination with a holding and registering frame, index rods tapered at each end, and numbered to denote position, as set forth.

' 6. In an anatomical mounter, the combination of a suitable holding and registering frame, of rods adapted to pass through the bones at divergent angles, whereby each bone may be replaced in its identical original position, as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OAKLEY G. SMITH.

WVitnesses:

J. M. ST. JOHN, F. J. KUBIoEK. 

